They Are Without Understanding

The Lord Jesus gave the apostle Paul the tough job of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles — to those from heathen backgrounds, who most likely knew nothing about all of God’s promises of a Savior throughout the Old Testament. Paul was a Jew and knew the Old Testament well, but even he studied carefully to see and understand that Christ Jesus really was the promised Messiah. So, when Paul preached to the Gentiles, he definitely knew what he was preaching about according to God’s given word.

But, as is often the case even today, there are some who know a little about the gospel, and then start preaching what they think they know — along with their preconceived notions and misunderstandings — imagining that they know everything. They allow their preconceived notions to guide whatever doctrines they like to teach and insist that their beliefs are more right than any other Christian’s understanding.

That was the problem Paul ran into with the Corinthian congregation. They had people who imagined that they preached God’s word more correctly than the apostle Paul. So, Paul humbly and strongly wrote to them, saying about himself and his preaching partners in 2 Corinthians 10:12,

For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

False preachers “measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves”. They claim they are right because that’s what they personally feel is right. But, what they feel does not agree with God’s eternal word in the Bible.

The bottom line is that we should not follow anyone who preaches contrary to God’s given word. Rather, we need to understand God’s will by diligently studying His word in the Bible.

Praising God for faithfully preserving His word for us, we say, “Hallelujah! LORD, Your word leads us to eternal life.”